ralph waffle bunch or jackie robinson for inspiration. maybe because i grew up in an integrated neighborhood in new york city, i was a second class citizen. do you think the role model he became to black kids in this country and race relations in this country? absolutely. he never forgot really where he came from. he benefited from others also. let s remember, it was the carter administration in 1977 when the first black secretary of the army, clifford alexander, was there. and in 1977 the army s one star list of brigadier generals came out and clifford alexander asked the question is there no one of color who could possibly be a general officer? he really pushed that. so the very next year a colonel colin powell were on that list